It Takes A Penguin
by Tripenguinman
Summary: The penguins return from a mission, broken and beaten and won't say what happened. Their spirits broken, no longer a team, Marlene is willing to do anything and everything to find out what happened, and which of them her heart belongs to. Kitka inside.
1. Prologue

Alright, new story, please review and please enjoy.

IT TAKES A PENGUIN

PROLGUE

Marlene lay back against the entrance to her cave and dazed at the zoo entrance, imagining the penguins walking through. They'd gone out on a mission a month ago and had yet to return. They had left in such a hurry and had not been able to tell her where they were going. She was mad for them leaving her out but she sighed and decided to wait. She realized in the time they'd been away that she really had a crush on all of them. They all seemed so brave, loving, cute, se-…. anyway, they were all funny and everything. They all seemed prefect matches for her.

She sighed, knowing that each one of them liked her in return. She'd read Kowalski and Private's diaries and listened to Skipper's diary, and the way Rico stared and drooled at her, she figured he liked her. Suddenly she saw them coming through the archway. Her heart leapt and she immediately raced over to them. But as she approached, she saw they had their heads down and were bruised and battered. She hugged Skipper and he yelped with the pressure added to his bruises.

"Sorry." she said and turned to give the others hugs but they shook their heads at her.

"Easy Marlene." he said, like he hadn't enjoyed the hug at all.

"What's wrong?" she asked

"Nothing. The mission-… nothing." Skipper answered

"No really, tell me." she said and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Nothing, we just need some sleep." Skipper said

Marlene groaned. "Why won't you treat me like an equal?!"

"It's better you don't know." Kowalski said, patting her shoulder and wincing at the pain to his flipper.

"Yep." Rico muttered

Private just nodded his head. Of all of them, whatever had happened, Private seemed hit the hardest. She approached him and tried to get him to lift his head but he stepped away.

"What's wrong Private?" she asked, laying a paw on his shoulder.

He didn't even flinch even though it had to hurt.

"Just leave us alone." Private muttered and pushed her away and with that they waddled back to their HQ.

"This is serious." Marlene muttered.


	2. Chapter 1

Well here's the next chapter. Miss Kitka will come in probably in the next chapter. Please enjoy and review.

IT TAKES A PENGUIN

CHAPTER ONE

Marlene sent the rest of the day wondering about the events that had just passed, running over each scenario, what could possibly have happened and what had happened to Private. His happiness, cuteness, lovingness, all of it had gone. He was a different person. Some how something had happened that had changed his entire state of being and that's what had attracted her to him. His optimism was a powerful ally in hardships and now that had gone. And the battle scars they had sustained proved a bad battle but against what enemy? Had they won? She decided to visit them again and try to coax the information out. As she was going out, she heard a loud scream and looked to the source to see a falcon flying off with Mort in its talons.

"Oh my God!" Marlene cried and rushed toward the penguin habitat.

Heart pounding out of her breast, nearly bursting, she flew down the fishbowl entrance and hit the ground on her feet. The penguins were all lying around; Skipper was playing solitaire, Kowalski was drinking a coke, Rico was hugging his doll, and Private was sitting in his bunk, slumped and staring at his feet, his eyelids lowered a little.

"Guys! Mort's being kidnapped by a falcon!" Marlene shouted at them.

They didn't even look up at her. They just continued with what they were doing for a second (except Private continued what he wasn't doing) Skipper spoke without looking up from his cards.

"And?" he asked

"What'd you mean 'And'?!" Marlene shouted

"And what?"

"What?! Mort's being kidnapped!" Marlene exclaimed

"Marlene," Skipper said with a sigh. "You can't go through life trying to give to others."

"What?" Marlene asked

She'd never seen this attitude from Skipper and surely the others would object to this behavior?

"What do you think we're going to do? Save him?" Skipper asked shuffling the cards for another game.

"Uh- yeah! That's what you do! You're a team!"

"Marlene, Marlene, you'll always be so cute and naïve. Does this look like a team?" He gestured at the others without looking up.

"What's happened to you guys?" She asked

"We got smarter. We learned an important lesson in life. You should learn it to."

Marlene was getting really peeved now. What the hell did they mean?

"What happened to the penguins? The team?"

"I just told you," Skipper said, matching the cards. "We learned. You can't give back to a world that does nothing but hurt you."

"You guys never acted like this before. What made you start thinking that?!" Marlene cried

Skipper looked up this time and a strange look came over his face. A mixture of rage and sorrow.

"That's classified." He said and went back to his game.

"What team is it classified to now? You gave up, like a bunch of cowards!" Marlene shouted and all of them looked at her.

Skipper stood up, his face twitching with anger.

"Marlene," he said in a low voice. "If someone tells you it's none of your business, then it's none of your damn business!"

"Why are you guys so freaking stupid! What'd you're brains rot?!" She shouted

Skipper hopped forward and pushed his face right into her's.

"Marlene… if you want to be annoying with you're little save the planet attitude… go and share it with someone else. We didn't give up. We got wiser. Now Go!" He said in a low threatening voice.

"Fine!" she shouted and smacked him across the face.

"You bit-!"

"I'll go and save Mort myself!"

And she stormed out in a hurry.


End file.
